Wonder Boys picked 6th in GACAfter a 6-5 performance in the 2016 campaign, the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys football team has been picked to finish sixth in the Great American Conference, the league office announced Tuesday. Tech's 6-5 record sealed consecutive winning seasons, and the Wonder Boys will look to rack up three straight winning seasons with a winning campaign this year. The Wonder Boys return several standouts from last year's squad, including all-region picks C...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sports briefsRiver Valley Shooters River Valley Shooters wrestling season begins Monday. Practices are conducted from 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday, in the Terry Davis Cyclone Wrestling Room inside Russellville High School. Those interested in wrestling should call Beth Davis at 479-747-2432. Cyclone Color Run The Second Color Run Fundraiser for the Cyclone Cross Country and Track teams will be from 9 a.m. to no...

Cyclone Extravaganza set for Aug. 19Courier sports staff The third annual Cyclone Extravaganza is scheduled to kickoff the new year on at Russellville High School on Aug. 19. The event, which acts as a fundraiser for multiple programs, is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. with a 5k race and conclude around 9 p.m. with a firework so. The event will see intersquad scrimmages for the volleyball team, football teams, band performance and introductions for several other organizations. See...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

The most wonderful time of the yearIt's football season, and that means I've been busy. Each year, we visit all 12 schools in the Tri-County area for our annual high school football preview. The special section, which is actually two magazines, is 64 pages of photos, interviews and information about the upcoming season. Look for it inside The Courier on Aug. 27 -- a mere three weeks away. That said, I thought it'd be interesting to give my somewhat unfiltered opinion on each of...

Free permit needed for WMAsThe Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) wants to get to know you better, especially if you enjoy one of the many wildlife management areas around the state. People who hunt, trap, fish or boat on WMAs are now required to obtain a free General Use WMA Permit through the Commission's license system. The permit may be obtained online at https://ar-web.s3licensing.com, at any license vendor or by calling 800-364-4263. It can be added as a cod...

Cooler water leads to hot fishing actionYes, I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself and a bit too excited with the cold front that passed through this week bringing some much needed rain and cooler temperatures, but it definitely got me thinking about all the fun you can have once the fish depart from their deep summer holes and start feeding up throughout the fall. As the cooler temperatures first start to arrive, the fishing action can be both rewarding and a bit frustratin...

There's nothing like an August rain -- when you get itJONESBORO -- I'm not even a farmer, and I can appreciate a good rainfall in August. I think about all the wildlife that is out frolicking in the needed moisture, the reprieve from the hot summer heat and the chance that the acorn crop will be better because of the rain. I'm a weather watcher of sorts, but lately I've been watching it avoid my house. It rained three times in Jonesboro yesterday, but it never rained a drop at my house. My wife i...

Venture Crew 510 gets awards at White River Canoe RaceTHE COURIER / Submitted Venture Crew 510 gets awards Venture Crew 510, a new team in the Russellville area, recently competed in the White River Canoe Race from the Bull Shoals Dam to Batesville. The race consists of eight legs and 120 miles. Venture Crew 510 female team came in second in the Boys Aluminum Novice Division and the boys team received an award for fastest beginners

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pierce, Tucker represent ATU in national eventArkansas Tech University students Bennett Pierce and T.J. Tucker will be among a field of 180 collegiate anglers competing in the 2017 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops Aug. 10-12 in Bemidji, Minn. Pierce, a sophomore from Fort Smith, and Tucker, a senior from Ratcliff, qualified for the national finals by finishing tied for fifth in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Central Regional Jan....

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ATU Athletic CommunicationsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Russellville AD Johnson on national boardRussellville athletic director Johnny Johnson was recently appointed to the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA) to represent Sect 6 on the Board of Directors, which includes ARkansas, TExas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Colorado. The NIAAA is the national organization for high school, junior high and middle school athletic directors across the nation and abroad. Johnson said he will be able to continue his athletic...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

AAA votes in eight governing changesLITTLE ROCK -- The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) conducts its annual Governing Body meeting at the State House Convention Center on Monday. Nine proposals were voted on by the body -- eight passed and one failed. Listed below are the results of the Governing Body Meeting. No. 1 -- Ejection Penalty and Review Changes the amount of time a player is prohibited from participation, and changes a football suspension from one full game to the...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Fredensborg is GAC nominee for NCAA Woman of the YearINDIANAPOLIS -- On the heels of a remarkable four-year career that saw her win the Elite 90 Award for the top academic student-athlete at the 2016 Division II Women's Golf Championships, Arkansas Tech golfer Caroline Fredensborg added another honor on Tuesday, being chosen as one of 145 conference nominees for the 2017 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. Fredensborg is joined by former Southern Arkansas softball player Maddie Dow (currently a gradua...

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ATU Athletic CommunicationsThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Venture Crew 300 takes 2nd in canoe raceBATESVILLE -- The Russellville Venture Crew 300 won second in the 51st annual White River Canoe Race recently. The race is the national championship for scout canoe racing and is conducted over three days and eight different legs. The race spans 120 miles from Bull Shoals in Batesville. Russellville finished second in the Open Cruising Class behind last year's national champion, Bogalusa, Louisiana Crew 313. Russellville completed the 120 mile...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sports briefsCyclone Glow Run A Glow Run to benefit the Russellville Cyclones football team will start at 8:30 p.m. with a kids run followed by a 1K glow run at 9 p.m. on Thursday at RJHS. Pre-registration before Saturday ensures participants get t shirts. The registration cost is $10 kids 1K, $15 5K student entry, $25 for 5K and $20 virtual runners. Car Wash Fundraiser The Russellville Police Boxing Club will host its annual benefit car wash at Russellvil...

The 'Old Folks' of baseballBY JIM YEAGER Ellis Raymond Kinder was born into poverty in 1914 and raised in the cotton fields of the Arkansas River Bottoms near Atkins, Arkansas. He dropped out of school after seventh grade, and by his teens, he was dragging his pick sack through the cotton patches alongside the adults. Kinder also joined the local adult men in their Sunday afternoon baseball games. Despite his father's strict rules against Sunday baseball, Kinder would l...

Youth elk tag to be auctioned at Wildlife Federation banquetFOR THE COURIER Each year one of the hottest auction items at the annual Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet is for a single Arkansas youth Elk tag. The tag, usually available in limited lottery draw, is donated by the Game and Fish Commission. Funds raised from its auction are used for habitat improvement, public education and research. The auction is scheduled to begin after ceremonies honoring Arkansas' greatest conservation leaders for...